A new day
by Sataria
Summary: A short little drabble about how Grizabella changed the course of Jellicle history. Her departure from the Tribe and return. How others loved and hated her. How she returned and found love once again before passing to the Heavyside Layer. Some language, one word, nothing major.


She not only left behind her entire tribe and her kits, but because of her choice to leave she changed the very course of Jellicle history….

Grizabella was the Glamour Cat of the Jellicles. The most beautiful, talented beloved queen of the tribe. The hearty envy of her sisters Jellyorum and Jennyanydots. She had two very lovely daughters, Bombalurina and Demeter.

She was even mother figure to The Rum Tum Tugger, whose mother had died giving birth to him. The Maine Coon was especially attached to the grey patched queen. He hung on her every word and followed her everywhere as a young tomkit. He adored her more than any other tom ever had. She mothered him so lovingly that he thought of her as his own mother. Old Deuteronomy would often pick his son up from her den when it was time for bed. The sleeping main coon would be curled up on her lap surrounded by Bomba, Demeter, Griddlebone and Macavity.

She adored him just as much, no one doubted. Munkustrap also loved her, but not as much as his younger brother.

Everyone loved her. She was friends with everyone. Grizabella had everything she wanted, harems of toms fell at her hind paws.

And yet. . .She wanted more. She wasn't content with the life she had.

She often went to theaters, with Tugger, Bomba and Demeter clinging to her paws and legs, to sing. She didn't get the title of Glamour Cat for just being beautiful. Her voice was so lovely that no one believed the descriptions until they heard her sing for themselves. Tugger would sit backstage and proudly tell anyone who would listen that the Great Grizabella was his mother. He was the first cat she hugged when she ended her performance and went to collect her daughters and "son".

A young Griddlebone, would sometimes spend her parentless days at the Yard and joined in Tugger's idolization of the Glamour Cat. She was a few years younger than Munkustrap at the time and loved the grey queen dearly. Macavity too loved to listen to the Glamour cat sing. His older sister Marisella, though, was the only one who saw right through the vain queen. She would often drag her brother off to the side to slap him for even saying Grizabella's name. That didn't stop the young tom from attending her performances to listen with Griddlebone at his side. The white Persian queen and ginger tom would sit side by side backstage with Demeter, Bomba and Tugger. Watching the younger kits and listening to Griz at the same time. Not that they needed to do much watching since the other kits were mesmerized by the queen on stage.

Callestia, the younger sister of Bustopher Jones was set to be her apprentice when she was older. The young tux had always been proud that Grizabella chose her to be the next Glamour Cat and nearly worshiped her. Whenever Bustopher Jones visited the Junkyard he would take his sister with him and she would spend every second by Grizabella's side, learning everything a little kitten could learn from her mentor. The tuxedo queen's love for the elder one was only rivaled by Bomba, Demeter and Tugger. Mostly Tugger's.

Grizabella would sometimes be called to perform in Paris, but never farther. She wanted to see the world. She yearned to see Italy, Russia, Germany and most of all America.

When she would think about it she knew that was no life for her young kits, and would do her image no good to be toting around two kits. The more she deliberated on the subject the more she began to consider her daughters and Tugger as extra baggage that were weighing her down. After all the only reason she stayed in the Junkyard and only traveled to Paris was because of Demeter and Bombalurina. They held her back, the traveling life wasn't for them since they could hardly walk or crawl.

How could she possibly be expected to raise them, and Tugger, when she had her own life and image to live out?

So she had a choice; to either give up the idea of furthering her career and raising her children. Or leave them behind and go live how she wanted to without anything to hold her back.

She chose herself over the kits.

When she went to her sisters and asked Jellyorum to raise the queens it's not like Jelly had a choice . She knew Grizabella would leave whether or not she knew who would take care of the queens. At this point everyone knew that Grizabella only cared about her title as Glamour cat, not even her kits mattered to her.

The day she decided to leave was an unusually clear one with a blue sky and fluffy clouds that promised a rare glorious day in the almost-always overcast city of London. A day that promised happiness was so cruelly the opposite.

She looked out to the entrance of the Yard with hope shining in her eyes. She began walking away from her home when her kits and Tugger burst from the crowd watching and clung to her. Demeter was too young to anything but cry, but Bomba and Tugger could understand what was happening.

"Mum!" Bomba screamed. She grabbed hold of one of her hind legs. "Please! Please stay!" She screamed as tears ran continuously down her cheeks.

Tugger cried so hard sobs shook his tiny little body. "Please!" He shouted, "D-don't l-leave me! Can't lose my mummy again!" He bawled.

Demeter held onto her mother's tail and at the sound and sight of the other two crying she joined them. At that point a young Munkustrap, Jellyorum and Jennanydots stepped forward. Munkustrap pried his brother from Grizabella's leg, Jenny picked up Demeter, Jelly took Bomba and the little scarlet queen buried her face in her aunt's fur. Her younger gold sister watched from her other aunt's arms.

Grizabella turned and simply smiled, "Oh stop this nonsense little ones. You'll be perfectly fine without me dears. Just you wait, you'll see my picture on posters all over London. I'm going to make a name for myself and you have to stay here and be good. I'll be back as soon as I can." Her promise was empty.

Marisella smirked from the shadows at the sound of the Glamour cat's empty words.

Tugger wailed, begging the only mother he had ever known not to leave. Munkustrap was almost blinded by tears at the sight of his brother in so much pain. The silver tabby's own pain turned to anger at his brother's idol abandoning him so. He gathered Tugger in a bear hug from behind and held him tightly. The main coon's face was soaked with tears, his legs gave out and he dropped like a stone to the ground, pulling Munkus with him.

Macavity gathered a crying Griddlebone in his arms as they watched their mentor and mother figure walk away from them so calmly. In fact, Grizabella was smiling happily as she strode away from the sobbing kits behind her. Macavity's eyes darkened and he swore that if she ever did return that he would never love her again as he had. The process that would change Macavity into the dark cat he was to become started with Grizabella leaving him and the tribe.

Griddlebone shared in her friend's thoughts. The love she once had for the Glamour Queen had turned to hate, yet another mum who decided that the rest of the world was better than her.

Just before Grizabella left them for what they thought would be forever, Callestia rushed forward and skidded to a halt in front of her mentor. After she caught her breath she looked up, straight into the bright green eyes of her mentor and asked, "What will become of me? What will I do without you Miss Grizabella?"

Grizabella only grinned and patted her cheek, "You'll do just fine my dear. You already have the makings of the Glamour Cat, you won't need me love." She pecked the young queen kit on the cheek and then brushed past her without another word.

Grizabella's words couldn't have been farther from the truth than anyone could have imagined.

When the aging and dying queen made her return, not all was forgiven.

When Tugger saw her again for the first time since she left his first words had been 'Fuck you'.

Bombalurina had clearly shown how disgusted she was.

Demeter wanted so desperately to reach out but was afraid of what she would find in the mother she never knew. She was hurt and ashamed.

Jellyorum and Jennyanydots made sure that no kit would touch her.

Munkustrap blocked her as best he could, his eyes asking the question he wouldn't speak, "_How dare she come back?"_

Macavity and Griddlebone never saw her again, yet their kits Mistofelees and Victoria knew her in her return.

It took Jemima, Grizabella's own grandkit, to convince everyone to forgive the old queen.

Tugger and Bomba reformed their hate and remembered the love they once had for their mother. Demeter was happy to finally touch her again. Victoria stood in for her mother and was the first to touch her. Misto and his mother shared a secret moment as Callestia watched from a far away hill, her mentor's acceptance back into the tribe caused her heart to grow near bursting with love.

Misto, feeling his mother's emotions pulled Grizabella close when he touched her paw and telepathically whispered, "Callestia watches. She loves you still and never stopped."

Grizabella looked at him and her eyes shone with tears of happiness.

The old Glamour Cat went to the Heavyside Layer not only as a renewed Jellicle, but with the knowledge that the kits she had always loved so dearly, deep in her vain heart, loved her as they had, once again.

With Love Anew.


End file.
